Your nature year
Novato, Californiathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Novato?
Novato usually sees its last spring frost around Jan 11 and its first fall frost around Dec 21, a frost-free stretch of about 344 days at the San Rafael-Civic Ctr weather station (6 mi). The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Jan 29 and first bloom around Feb 28. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Head west for the closest of the 4 places we follow around Novato. Point Reyes, 25 miles from Novato, is the nearest wildflowers spot on this site, Feb 1–Aug 31 (local timing). Across California, fall color is usually well under way by late October.
Updated Sep 28. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Novato's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 11 to ~Dec 21
- First leaf ~Jan 29
- First bloom ~Feb 28
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
- Today
Near Novato right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in CaliforniaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Dec 21 · last spring frost around Jan 11NOAA 1991–2020 normals, San Rafael-Civic Ctr (6 mi, 50% dates)~3 months
- Wildflowers · Point Reyes · 25 miLocal timing: Feb 1–Aug 31~4 months
Novato's nature year
- Spring green-upJan
- Last spring frostJan
- Wildflowers · Point ReyesFeb–Aug
- Fall color (CA)Oct
- First fall frostDec
Nearby, season by season
Wildflowers
- Point Reyes · 25 miLocal timing: Feb 1–Aug 31~4 months
- San Joaquin River Refuge · 76 miLocal timing: Apr 1–30~6 months
- San Luis Refuge · 106 miLocal timing: Apr 1–30~6 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 11
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 21
About 344 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 29
First bloom around Feb 28
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at San Rafael-Civic Ctr (6 mi from Novato), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Novato?
On average around Dec 21, and the last spring frost around Jan 11: about 344 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at San Rafael-Civic Ctr, 6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Novato?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 29 and first bloom around Feb 28, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see wildflowers near Novato?
Point Reyes, 25 miles (local timing: Feb 1–Aug 31); San Joaquin River Refuge, 76 miles (local timing: Apr 1–30); San Luis Refuge, 106 miles (local timing: Apr 1–30). Distances are straight-line.
How we know
US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)